Red Riding Hood
by Tritessa Malaise
Summary: I think she does this on purpose. She follows me then frames me for enjoyment. Although it's frustrating, I find her type of flirting very attractive.
1. Entrance

**A/N: This is another story that I'm going to work on; probably very slowly though. I had an idea for a villian story and wanted to get a concept down before it left me. I'm sorry if it doesn't really make much sense, it was a quick first chapter. I will work harder on the chapters to come. Promise.**

I wasn't like other super villains; not even close actually. I'm much more complex. Okay, I wasn't a super villain but I know I could be if I actually wanted to be, I just choose not to. I'm just your average, everyday kind of thief with an added kick.

My red sneakers patted against the hallway floor as I casually strode down it like I owned the building, which I didn't; it was a Wayne Enterprise building. There were certain perks to not obeying the law I guess. A guard came rounding the corner, holding his weapon and the second he spotted me I raised my hand at him and he was sent hurling back into the wall. With a smirk adorning my pastel pink lips, I patted his shoulder as I passed him while he remained stuck to the wall. I knew he tried to peer under my red hood, but it shadowed my face from onlookers and cameras. Yeah, you heard me. I'm wearing a red hood. What's so bad about that? I match at least. My red hood was attached to the short sleeve red dress with darker red trim, red arm warmers matched the dress and covered my forearms, thigh high light red and darker red tights covered most of my legs while exposing only about half a foot of skin between the hem of my dress and the tights and my red high top sneakers completed the look. I will admit, I look like Red Riding Hood, but that of course was what I was going for.

Under my hood was a silver rimmed eye mask to keep my identity a secret; not that anyone here would know me. My short white hair could be seen from under my hood, but I didn't mind because it didn't get in my way. As I walked down another hallway, I rounded a corner and found myself being ambushed by a group of guards. My jaw dropped a bit and my demeanor looked shocked by the sudden appearance of the horde of employees. Then suddenly there was a flashing red light with a blaring horn throughout the building. The alarm! Bringing my thumb and index finger to my lips, I whistled loudly and almost instantly a black wolf slammed to the floor and roared protectively at them. With another smirk coming to my lips I give the order for her to attack and she does instantaneously, without hesitation either.

"Good girl," I whisper through my smirk and run past the group trying to fight off my pet.

I chuckle lightly to myself and jump into the air, skidding to a stop in front of closed, double doors. Before I go to unlock the door, I sense someone other than the guards in the building. I recall my beautiful black wolf and we both disappear into the shadows. As we wait, I watch a figure dressed in black, grey and red sprint to the door. Cocking my head to the side, I look on curiously as he breaks into the door and disappears into the room. I drop from hiding spot to see the red x on the costume with which this person was wearing. I order my wolf to leave the rest to me and she respectfully obeys me, leaving me to my work. Sneaking into the room where my competition was, I bring myself eye level with him and he seems startled when he sees me there.

"Who the heck are you?" he asks with a voice filter concealing what he really sounds like. You can easily tell because the voice is scattered and sounds like a bad cell phone reception. Now that I am level with him the red x on his costume is far more noticeable then before and it intrigues me.

"None of your business. You?" I ask, purposely not giving out too much information on myself. Villains never do. I know he tried to look under the shadow of my hood, but even if he tried my face was still masked by the silver eye mask on my face.

"Now that's unfair," he replies with that transferred voice that is probably built into his elaborate costume. Even if he didn't tell me his name I have already guessed it by the looks of his costume. He thinks I don't see him snatch the item that we both came to steal, but I do and just don't say or do anything about it. He placed the item in front of my face and I could hear the smirk under his mask, "Is this what ya came for? Too bad toots…"

I'm sorry, did he just call me 'Toots'? I don't care who you are, but you do not call me toots! I glare under the eye mask on my face and unbeknownst to him others are coming to apprehend us so I take advantage of that. Grabbing onto the edge of the vent I had come from to become level with him, I shoot my foot out into his chest, "Don't call me toots." I hiss. I feel his chest under my foot and know that I was too fast for him to dodge in time.

He falls to the ground with a painful thud. Placing my feet flat on the ceiling I was hanging from, I push myself off and before hitting the ground, do a somersault and land on my feet in front of him. Bending down I swipe the said item from him with a cocky smirk now plastered on my face. He looks up at me and I could tell he was probably mad at me, but I could care less about what he thinks. I giggle cutely and feel my furry friend appear by my side; who by the way is far bigger than any normal wolf. Leaning over, I kiss Red-X's grey mask and give a half assed salute to him before jumping upon the wolf's back and we both disappear. He seems stunned by my strange mood swings and only comes to when the heroes of this city enter the room. He gets up and easily disappears without engaging them. I know this because I watched before leaving myself.

My partner and I were casually walking away from the scene, through the shadows when I felt a hand grab my arm and pull me down an alley that led to a pier. The giant animal followed angrily but I told her not to attack unless we know what is going on and she amply obeyed. When I was finally standing still I saw Red-X standing in front of me very casually. The giant beside me began to advance but I stuck out my arm to signal not to and thus she stepped back, but stayed on her guard.

"Can I help you?" I asked with a nonchalant attitude.

He stepped closer to me and I could feel his body radiating his natural body heat, "Give me what I stole back," he demanded.

I laughed at him. He was trying to sound scary, but I wasn't buying it, "You mean this?" I asked holding up the green and gold microchip that I had swiped from him. I flipped it between my fingers before grasping it in my hand and it disappeared, "Nope, I think I'll keep it."

"Listen here little Miss Red Riding Hood, I worked to get that chip…" he started.

"Worked? At what exactly? I was the first one here," I cut in with a chuckle at his sad attempt to sway me to give him the chip back. "Here I'll tell you what, if you can snatch it from me then I'll give it to you," I added, feeling in the mood for a little game of cat and mouse.

Without saying a word, he disappeared in a flash. My eyes scanned the area around me, but I couldn't see anything; it was only when my partner growled to my left did I know where he was. He came back into view and I executed graceful gymnastics to dodge his kick. When I am back on my feet he lunges to punch me in the face and I bend back, to which he makes an attempt to snatch the chip from my hand. I place the chip between my teeth and back flip to kick him in the jaw. After he recovers, he attacks again. I throw the chip into the air and we fight for dominance; our battle looking like a beautiful ballet because of our acrobatic skills. I am forced to bend myself backwards to avoid two hits, with which he takes the opportunity to use my chest as a stepping stone to jump into the air and take the chip. Just inches before his fingers reach I grab his ankle and swing him into a pile of crates. Crashing through them, I take this time to catch it and smile to him when he comes staggering from the mess.

"Here," I say, throwing him the chip with a grin upon my face.

He looks at me for a moment while stashing the chip in his belt, "Why?"

"I had fun," I giggle. There was a pause between us before I'm the one to speak up again, "You deserve it…" I trail off motioning for my wolf to follow as I turn my back to him and began walking away, "Plus I don't need it." With that I wave to him over my shoulder and we disappear into the night.


	2. Heist

**A/N: Okay, next chapter is finally up! I've noticed that a lot of people have read the first chapter and I would like some reveiws on what you think. And little miss giggle is still a huge mystery and becoming one huge pain in the Titan's side :3 I find this story to be very entertaining.**

Fire swirled around my feet with every step I took as I sauntered through the bank and the people that littered the ground around me. They were scared of me I could tell; of course it was written all over their faces also. Walking to the vault door, I turned to look around for a moment. The sun was shinning through the windows and even in the panic it held that quiet bank air. It kind of annoyed me, so I decided on making some! With a wicked grin upon my face, I threw my hands in the air and shot streams of fire throughout the bank. Yeah I have power over fire. I'm sure you'll learn more about me while I play within this city.

I cackled with pleasure and turned to the steel vault door, shooting a massive fireball at the door. It exploded on impact and dangled on its hinges. Skipping up to the door, I placed my finger on the door and slowly pushed it open when it dropped to the floor. Placing that same finger against my chin, I looked at it curiously before giggling with a sweet grin. I began walking through the threshold of the vault when something flew past my eye sight and into the wall in front of me. Blinking, the black, red and gold colors confused me before I turn to look over my shoulder. Standing behind me were five teens dressed as super heroes. One looked familiar to me, especially with the 'R' insignia on his costume. Robin. I look between them all and grin. Dressed in the same attire from the heist a few nights before, my facial features are hidden except for my jaw and when I hear the leader yell for them to attack, my grin becomes a toothy one. I crack my knuckles ready for them and the first to attack is the half mechanical Titan.

A blue stream of power came from his arm, directed at me and I dodge it fairly easily. Right after him was the chick dressed in purple. She was hovering in the air and shooting green blasts of energy at me; I dodged this too and threw a few fire balls back at her. I have a high skill level in acrobatics; it's one of my best attributes actually. It wasn't until the chick in the blue forced me to stay in one spot that I got a little angry. Beneath my eye mask my eyes began to glow red and red energy swirled around my right hand. Bending my elbow up, I pushed my arm back down and you could see my red power fighting this chick's black power before it blasted apart. Spinning around quickly, I threw her through a wall with my own telekinetic powers. Two down, three to go. Taking a fighting stance, I taunted the other three to try and attack me with a confident smirk lying on my lips.

The green one transformed into a green rhino and I called on my wolfish partner. Her giant wolf body slammed down right in front of the charging rhino knocking him back a good foot away. The black wolf took on the shape shifting hero while the other two charged me. And so we're clear, she never leaves my side; though she may not be visibly by my side that doesn't mean she isn't around to help when I need her.

The cybernetic hero and Robin tried to take me on, using strength and gadgets mixed with fighting. I was grinning the whole time I was interacting with them, enjoying our little game a great deal. With my eyes glowing red I threw a massively powerful hook to the bulky guy disrupting my fight with their leader, sending him through the bank wall and after that I don't know where he landed. Now it was just Robin and I. This would be exciting.

"Who are you?!" he asks me through gritted teeth and glaring eyes. We match blocks and I keep grinning at him without a word. Pushing off me, he jumped back and rushed me again, "Tell me who you are!" Leaping into the air, he pulled out his steel staff and tried to hit me with it. I was able to dodge his first assault but didn't notice his second as he caught his fall with his staff and spun around, kicking me in the back. With the force of his kick, I flew forward and fell on all fours. He was strong; but then again he should be after being Batman's protégé.

He came up behind me and grabbed my hood, trying to pull it off when my arm shot out and grabbed at his exposed elbow. "Don't. Touch. My. Hood!" I growl angrily and grip his elbow tighter. He hisses in pain when the sudden cracking of bones could be heard echoing from his body. Twisting around, I stand up and have him on his knees, even after I have let go of him. My hood is still in place and I probably look very evil with the shadow over my face and the scowl seen on my lower face. I have a serious rule about my hood and he was about to learn that rule.

He lay on the ground, cringing in mass amounts of pain as his body was internally rearranging itself. A form of torture within itself really. If you've ever had more then one broken bone at once, it's kind of like that only much more painful. I towered over him watching without remorse as he withstood the pain rather well. With every twitch he made, I heard a hiss through his gritted teeth and it actually made me smile. My attention was taken away from him when I was suddenly surrounded by three of his teammates, all standing at the ready for an attack. My eyes shifted between each of them, not even a twitch of fear moving my body.

"Make him right again," the red head demands of me with a ball of green energy around her fist. Her green eyes are glaring at me maliciously as if trying to force me to fix their fallen friend.

The big one pointed the cannon at me, "Either do it now or we'll make you."

"And we won't have a problem in making you," the dark one adds with her hands glowing with black and white energy and her eyes glowing white.

With a shrug of my shoulders, I drop to my knees and place my hands on the boy wonder's exposed skin while he still remained on the floor. You can hear the echo of his internal self even louder now as everything begins moving back into its rightful place. It takes only two minutes for everything in his body to be right again and he is back to his original physical condition. My fingers wrap around his jaw gingerly with a smile now upon my face and I pull his face close to mine, giving him a kiss that no one expects; even him. Everyone looks shocked by this, especially the girl in purple; who also looked completely jealous. I laughed and leapt into the vault while they were all stunned stiff, stealing all the money I could with the brown duffle bag I had brought with me. My wolf and I make off with thousands from the vault.

This is the second time I got away, only this time they actually knew it was me. I hadn't set Red-X up this time to be the criminal behind this heist. Maybe I should have, but the dark clad thief really only came out at night so it would have been kind of difficult. The abandoned warehouse I used to live in, was actually kind of homely since I found it a week ago. I turned it into a quaint little spot to live in with an old couch, mattress with blankets and pillows, an old patio chair and a refrigerator. I was well adapted in many trades including electrical, which is how I got this old building to work again. Okay, well I'm a jack of all trades and can do a little of everything. As I flopped onto the couch, the duffle bag was dropped behind the arm and the giant animal laid beside the couch, ever at my guard. Laying my head on the arm of the couch, I pulled my hood further down to cover my face and closed my eyes to take a much needed nap.

It wasn't until hours later that I woke back up with a start and in complete darkness. I was breathing heavily and my hood had fallen from my skull in my sudden haste to sit up. My snow white hair was short and naturally messy, the tips stopping half way down my neck and close to my shoulder, while my bangs were longer than the rest of my hair. My eyes still couldn't be seen because of the mask, though at the moment I wasn't really worried about it because we were the only ones here. Throwing my hood back over my head, I jump to my feet and stretch out my body from the nap. Scanning the giant loft, I sigh softly and look down at the giant wolf still lying beside the couch.

"Wolf, what should we do tonight? Play with that cute Red-X or stay in?" I asked her with a smile. And if you're wondering about her name, yes it really is Wolf. I know it's kinda strange to have a wolf named Wolf. Well actually it was The Wolf, considering every hero I have ever faced has dubbed me Red Riding Hood. But to me she is my only friend and she knows that, plus we're psychically linked so we know everything between each other. She gave me a strange look, "What?" I ask her, "He is."

Wolf gives me that 'You've got to be kidding,' kind of look to which I merely shrug my shoulders. Of course, she wouldn't understand being an animal and not human. When she hears my thought on that I get a low snarl from her and I throw my hands up in defense before letting it drop. Giving myself a slight nod, I cross my legs Indian style and float in the air while I do this. Telekinesis duh! Sitting up straight, my arms in my lap and my eyes closed, I try and pinpoint where the thief is now. I have limited Telepathy abilities that only work if I am touching someone or have touched them. Yeah it kind of sucks they don't work on everyone, but that's okay because I kind of don't want to be in everyone's head and this way I can choose. My red energy swirled around me as I concentrated on trying to locate the devious thief that I already had a crush on. Had I know I was going to locate him this way I would have slept longer because this takes a serious strain on me.

It took me a long ten minutes until I located his brainwave pattern and could see him clear enough to get a read on where he was. After breaking the mediation, my eyes flashed open and I dropped to the floor ungracefully, grunting on impact. Rubbing my sore rump, I stand back on my feet and flash a grin towards my lounging companion who raises her head to look back at me. With an exhaled breath through her snout, she gets up and stretched then shakes her body before we both leave.

Giving the directions to the newest heist, I get on Wolf's back and she takes us there rather quickly. With her giant stature she is able to take bigger strides then that of any average animal and with her running so we could catch up to the devious Red-X, it really didn't take us long. We were able to get there just as he was, seeing him sneaking through the walls to avoid detection. I giggle to myself in pure anticipation and jump from Wolf's back. "You, stay here and play nice. I wanna do this one on my own," I tell her with a wink. She huffs slightly and sits to wait for me patiently.

Using my inhuman speed and third-jointed acrobatic skills, I was able to sneak into the building undetected. Climbing on the water pipes that lined the ceiling, I used them to get around quietly; only further proving my proficiency in gymnastics. When I reached my destination, I dropped to the floor (barely making a sound) and slid up to a lever that was protruding from the wall. With a cocky smirk on my face, my arm reached for the lever and pulled it down. The second it was brought in the opposite direction a shrill and extremely loud began blaring throughout the building, signaling a break in. It only takes a moment before I can hear multiple thuds of footsteps and quickly I scale the wall and go back to the ceiling pipes to move through the building undetected. The only trace that I was ever there are the multiple sets of five holes in the wall. As the guards are scrambling through the halls, I slink to the room in which I know there is anything worth stealing and see the very one I came to see, taking a cylinder of red.

"Oh, naughty boy," my girlish voice giggles teasingly. I am hidden from him, my voice echoing through the room with him looking around for me. I take it he recognizes my voice from nights before.

He pauses for a moment to try and find where I am, which he can't and opts for a different approach, "Does that turn you on?" he teases back. I can tell there's a bit of haste in his transferred voice because of the alarm, but his demeanor doesn't seem to show it.

There's a giggle from me again, "Maybe it does…" I pause and move through the room, slight contact noises being heard from my sneakers, "Does that make me bad too?"

"If you want to be Red," he replies and takes the red cylinder as he does. Even though Red has been given to me by many different heroes, hearing him say it is so much smoother than the rest. And for a moment I stop moving to try and confuse him, crouching in one spot thinking about what he said before my attention is grabbed by him again, "Of course, I like the bad girls."

Before I can reply with a single word, the Teen Titans have interrupted our conversation because of their innate sense of justice, "Red-X!" Robin shouts.

My eye narrowed in frustration by this. Watching from my perch, the Titans engaged Red-X in battle and found the acrobatically skilled thief to be more then a match for them. The gadgets within his outfit gave him the upper hand in the fight, as if it were specifically designed to take out each one of them. The only one that seemed to be better than the suit was the leader Robin, who pinned Red-X to the ground with his staff. Placing my hands tightly on the pipe I was crouching on and placing my feet on either side of my hands, I forcefully launched myself at him, tackling him to the ground. Extending my hand, I helped X to his feet and I could see the smirk under his mask before we were side by side at the ready for a fight.

Robin was the first to strike, with his team following suit not long after. To make the fight a little more fair I whistled for Wolf, who was quick to appear in front of the green one, "Crud…" he whimpered, he ears flattening in fear at the sight of my giant partner growling down at him. Wolf barked at him and he ran away with his arms flailing, "DUDE!" he shouted with Wolf following after him.

Red-X and I took on the other four. I still didn't know their names (except for Robin) which in my book meant they weren't worth my time. With quick reflexes I dodge a punch from the robot, bending onto my palms and throwing my heel into his jaw while adding my telekinesis to give it added power. Recovering from that action, I was quick enough to just barely dodge a barrage from the one clad in purple. With a hiss, I skid along the ground and looked at my shoulder to see singed fabric and whipped back around with malice in my eyes. Jumping back to my feet, my left fist ignited with fire which I shot at her. She dodged that easy enough which gave me my chance! My hands were soon lit with red, sparking energy that I used to pull the across the room and throw her into the other psychic. While they recovered, that only left Robin to fight Red-X and I. Back to back, Red-X and I fought. He and Robin used their gadgets, while I held my own just fine without even using my powers this time.

My heart beats wildly in my chest as Red-X left Robin to me when his teammates rejoined the fight and took them on. Me and Robin again; how delicious. I grinned wickedly as we both rushed each other, I thrust out my fist, he blocks and clocks me in the jaw. That pissed me off! As I'm stumbling from the force of the hit, I grab his wrist, taking him down with me. We're now on the floor wrestling. He's on top and there's a punch launched at my face. I catch his fist in my hand and throw it to the side, slamming my elbow into the side of his face. I dominate by getting on top. I throw a punch, he blocks, I through another and he blocks again. Growling in frustration, I slam my head against his, effectively stunning him. Rolling off him, I jump to the aid of Red-X who is having a bit of trouble now. Being charged at by three of the Titans, I skid to a stop in front of him with a confident smile adorning my shadowed features. Bringing my right arm back, I thrust a superhuman upper cut to the robot that sends him flying a good distance through objects and quickly counter the other two by throwing up a dome of fire around the two of us. The fiery shield moves outward, thrusting the girls back and leaving most of the Titans incapacitated.

I nod happily to myself and turn to Red-X with a post victory smile. He steps closer to me; far closer then I would normally allow, but I am pumped from the fight and don't mind it. "Not bad toots," he says, nudging my chin with a finger. He's slightly out of breath from this fight, which I noticed from the increase in the movements of his chest.

I am momentarily stunned from his actions, even knowing that he is only flirting and under the shadow of my hood I blush. Swatting at his hand, I get closer to his mask, my finger tracing the 'X' on it, "Not bad yourself thief," I counter with an inviting chuckle. He leans in closer to me. I grin and execute two back flips to end up beside my furry partner, "Wolf, spit that out. You'll give yourself heartburn." Under my snarky comment, she opens her massive jaw to let the green changeling fall to the floor covered in her saliva. With a look over my shoulder at him, I wave the red object at him and giggle.

He looks stunned, even with his mask on and looks at his belt where he knew he put it, "What the….How?" he asked looking back at me.

"When you weren't looking of course!" spinning on my heel to face him as I leave, "See ya around X," I wave and walk out with Wolf following me. The two of us are walking away from the recent fight when I turn to her with an excited squeal, "That was so much fun!" I grab onto her neck and nuzzle her, "We should do it again!"

She snorts in response.

With her reply I huff and cross my arms across my chest in a pout, pursing my lips as well. Soon my arms dropped and I fidgeted with the red thing in my hands that I had stole from Red-X. Xynothium. Looking at the compound, I wondered to myself what he would need this for. I pondered this for a long while before I finally gave up and just decided to use it against him at a later date.


	3. Red Pain

**A/N: I know that Red seems a little over the top, but you will find out why (sort of) in this chapter. In my defense, she is supposed to be and I'm thinking that in the next chapter it will delve further into why she is. Please feel free to reveiw, I would much appreciate it! :3**

I was sleeping peacefully on my mattress when I was woken up by the sound of growling by Wolf. I groaned, "What is it?"

Her growling got louder. That's when I heard it; that damned voice!

"Hey there toots," it spoke in that naturally cocky tone. My hand shot out for my eye mask that wasn't on my face for once, but it wasn't there! "Looking for this?" I heard him ask. He had it?!

"Give it back!" I hissed through gritted teeth, while keeping my eyes shut and throwing my hood over my face. You can't control what happens when you sleep, so my hood had fallen to reveal my white hair. I couldn't believe this! "How did you find me?" I asked, sitting up in my bed but still keeping my eyes closed so he couldn't see them.

I heard him chuckle under his voice modified mask, "I followed you of course." I wanted to punch him I the face!

I got up from my mattress with pure hatred in my stance, "I mean it X, give it back."

His steps on my hardened floors echoed in my ears as he walked across the room and right in front of me. Wolf was instantly on the offensive but I told her to stand down as my body stiffened at how close he was to me. I could feel his chest get closer to me as it rose and fell with his breathing, "Make me…" he taunted.

My tough demeanor shattered as I dropped my head and looked away from him. My mask didn't make me confident and bold, but it certainly helped me feel like I could do anything because no one could figure out who I was. Without it, they would all know. I knew he could feel my change since he was so close to me, but I didn't really care at this point; I just wanted it back. He got inches closer to me and placed a finger under my chin, lifting my face up so I would look at him. My eyes were still closed so I couldn't see him anyways. His other hand, that held my mask, moved towards my hood and that's when I caught him off guard! My eyes flashed open glowing an intensely bright red and he was thrust backwards under the force of my energy. Using my telekinesis I grabbed my mask back and it floated back onto its rightful place, my face. Walking over to him, I towered over his crumpled form on my floor; I didn't take kindly to people toying with things that were mine.

"Touch my mask or hood again and I swear that you will be in more pain then any of the Titans could ever give you," I growled venomously in a low tone. Under the silver mask I gave him a death glare that would make demons cower away in fear. If they could see it of course.

I heard him groan painfully and cocked my head to the side. I didn't hurt him that hard did I? Kneeling down beside him, I placed my hands on his chest gently and felt him cringe away in pain, a hiss coming from his mask. Broken ribs. Robin must have gotten him without me noticing it. I could heal him but he would need to take off the suit because my powers don't work over clothes but after what I just did I doubt he would want my help. Boys were so stubborn! Standing, he rose with me and I placed him back on his feet before walking to my refrigerator.

"Get lost Red-X," I snapped as I reached into the cold air for some yogurt.

He hid his pain so well; if I hadn't felt it myself I never would have guessed he was hurt, "What will you do toots? Throw me across the room again?"

"Yeah I might, only this time you won't land on the floor," I replied casually as I slurped up a spoonful of yogurt. My attention turned back to him with a half hearted smile lying upon my lips as I spoke.

"Hm, dangerous…I like that," he cooed under that mask. Before he disappeared from my abandoned warehouse he looked over his shoulder at me, "Nice hair by the way." With a low growl I threw my sneaker at him, which missed and hit the door after he swept through it.

Once he left, I sighed in relief and my ridged frame dropped. I relaxed and walked over to my couch, jumping onto it while still eating my yogurt. Wolf came padding over to me and dropped beside the couch protectively as I ate silently. My thoughts wandered onto what just happened and I sighed heavily. I suddenly lost my appetite and set the yogurt cup on the floor, rolling over to face the back of the couch. I know it was strange that I didn't take off my hood or mask when it was just Wolf and I, but after what happened you could understand why I normally keep them on. My heart was beating fast again as I watched the worn out pattern on the couch not move. I fell back asleep not long after my staring match with the couch; an uneasy sleep.

I tossed and turned on that tiny space as images of people's faces flashed through my head. Pain. Pain. And more pain. All I could feel was agonizing pain. I saw cords pasted to my body and felt a tiring strain on my muscles. Needles clasped inside my skin. Flashes of red. More pain. Then flashes of heat. It was so hot that I could feel the sweat coat my body within moments. I screamed loudly as I woke up, gasping and wide eyed. Looking around I saw everything was destroyed in one way or another. Something was either on fire, singed, blown apart or turned over. Getting up, I put out the tiny fires and sighed again like I had before I fell asleep. Wolf seemed unharmed by the outburst I must have caused and when I finally sat back down on the slightly burned couch I began to stroke her velvet like black fur. My gaze dropped to the floor as my fingers stroked her fur. Getting back up after sitting there for a few minutes, I mentally told Wolf to stay here because I wanted to be alone.

Using my psychokinetic power, I lifted myself off the ground and flew out of my makeshift home quickly. Floating high above the city that I was calling home for now, I looked down at all the people that seemed so at peace. I wondered to myself how these people could be like that. It just didn't make sense to me! Turning onto my back, I stared up at the moving clouds as I slowly float along. Some clouds are shaped like something and some aren't and for some reason I'm bothered by that. I felt the wind stream against my clothes that billowed softly in response. As I hovered lazily in the air I contemplated all the things that made me become the way I was now. I felt myself drift away from reality as I thought about this; how I wanted to be normal. I may have been classified as an unstable and dangerous criminal but….I shook my head and stopped. I hovered in one spot as I told myself that I was nothing but a lowly criminal and I had to live with that! I mean I had even been sent to Arkham in Gotham City for the criminally insane. I was no different from any of those loons.

I was so close to my goal; I couldn't give up and get soft now! Snapping out of my pitiful depressed state, I rushed back to my 'hideout'. Once there I found Wolf still waiting patiently for me, "Hey girl," I greeted with a smile.

Her large tail wagged and her bright yellow eyes stared at me full of attention with her ear perked.

"I guess I have to clean up…" I trailed off with a heavy sigh and began moving around the loft.

I turned the lawn chair back upright, moving clear across the room to pick up my mattress. Placing it back in its original spot, I found all the blankets and the two pillows and placed them back atop the mattress. Looking down at the bed, I noticed that they had been singed while some even had gaping holes in them. The box I had used as a nightstand was completely obliterated and now useless. With another sigh, I left it alone and walked over to Wolf who hadn't moved from her spot in front of my couch. Flopping onto the floor right beside her and threw off my hood and clung to her tightly. I refused to cry, but I complained to her. She knew how I felt because she had been genetically altered to be the way she was now. Craning her neck, she nuzzled me which made me smile an actual smile. I felt my heart fluttered at her kindness which made me giggle lightly.

"Thank you Wolf," I whispered before finally letting go of her.

We sat in silence of a long time when I finally noticed that the sky had started changing colors. Sunset. That only meant that it would be time to play with Red-X again soon and get him back for his breaking in earlier. A devious grin crossed my features when I thought about getting him back. Jumping up, I grabbed my brown duffle bag that had his stolen Xynothium in it and the two of us walked out of the warehouse to find the annoyingly cute thief.

We were avoiding the main street as much as possible, but there are some things that you can't avoid. With no other choice, the two of us detoured to the center of the city with people staring at us and looking kind of frightened by us. We were used to it so we ignored them until somehow we ran into the Titans as they were apprehending some crazy guy with blue skin and a wand.

Robin spotted me, "You!" he shouted angrily with a glare through his mask. I guess he might still be mad about how I've humiliated him the last few times we've come in contact.

"Me?" I mock, looking confused.

Reaching into his belt, he pulled out three discs as he ran towards me, "You won't get away this time!" he growled as he threw them at me.

I dodged them easily but was thrown forward by the unexpected blasts at my backside, "Fuck!" I hissed landing on all fours. They had been timed explosives. He was becoming cleverer.

"You're under arrest," he grinned cockily as he stood over me. He seemed so damned smug for a hero. I dropped my head, looking as if I had surrender to the skillfully trained hero and I could hear that grin get bigger.

I threw up my head, screaming and grabbed onto his head. He seemed surprised now. With pure fury in my eyes, I picked him up and slammed him on his back into the asphalt. I saw a few strands of white fall into my view but I didn't care at the moment because I was full of rage! "You want to arrest me?!" I screamed poisonously. I pushed his head further into the road, "You'll have to do far better than some poor rich kid, Batman wannabe!"

"I'm nothing like him!" he shouted back and kneed me in the face. I stumbled back upon impact, letting him go in the process. "I would never want to be!" he shouted again and threw a bird-a-rang at me. I hissed in pain when it hit me.

He came rushing at me with his own rage and threw a powerful cross to my face. I was thrown to the ground by the force; I was then thrown into a traffic light pole when one of his discs blew right next to me. My body now racked with pain as I grudgingly got back to my feet. To my surprise, Robin was there waiting for me to get up so he could throw me over his shoulder and back onto the ground. I gasp in pain and cough out a little blood that lightly coats my mouth. He tries for another assault but I quickly grip onto his skull once again and throw to the ground as I get to my feet. I can feel myself a little weak, but that soon passes as my body reacts to the pain. Rushing to him, my hand is against his face again as I pin him to the ground. With my other hand free, I bring it back as my palm forms a fireball within it. I am about to mortally wound this hero when something inside me clicks and I snap out of my rage. With the fire still raging in my hand, I throw it at a building across from us and push myself off him.

"Consider yourself lucky wonder boy," I muttered darkly and I disappear before the other Titans can move to his side.

**Titans Tower**

Feeling as heroic as ever, the Titans bumbled back into their home, except for Robin, who was storming through the hallways and stairs to his room to work. His muscles were tight in his jaw as he looked positively pissed. His team new better then to bug him right now and thus left him alone. The slamming of his door echoed through the tower and made the others cringe from the sound. The second the door was closed, Robin was on the computer and looking for the girl that had made him look like fool.

It took hours, but he finally found something on her and the second he did he left his room. Calling for his team to meet in the main room, he booted up the computer and waited as the four of them gathered around the couch to listen. With his back to them he brought up the file he had found, with a picture of a girl dressed in red but most of her face couldn't be seen.

"She is known as Red, or Red Riding Hood," he said as he turned back to face his team with his usual serious facial features. "She looks to be about thirteen but is believed to be older then she looks because of slowed aging, plus she is very intelligent. Her mental state has been evaluated at New Arkham in Gotham City and she was diagnosed as Bi-Polar with homicidal tendencies. A raid on an old base in Gotham gave speculation that she is planning something big, but what that was has never been discovered because she left soon after the raid. It was then discovered that she moved to Metropolis; but what she was doing there no one knew…"

"Where did you get this information Robin?" Raven interjected with her monotone voice.

He paused for a long while before answering, "JLA files." The rest of the team, except Starfire, looked shocked.

"Are you crazy man?" Cyborg shouted, "The JLA is top secret! We could get in huge trouble with them!" he ranted, "Are you out of your spiky headed mind?!"

"Please, what is the JLA?" Starfire asked in confusion.

"A group of superheroes that banned together to protect the galaxy!" Cyborg answered, still freaking out after finding out their leader had hacked into their files.

"Anyways!" Robin spoke up over his second in command, "It's been noted that she has an affinity for money and her main crime seems to be robbery, or selling items of high value on the black-market…." he paused as he features became even more serious. His mind wandered onto the thoughts swirling in his head before he spoke again, "It was discovered by Batman that she was bio-engineered into a super weapon…" there was a hint of jealousy in his words as he unfurled some of the details about this girl, "Who took it upon himself to try and fix her, but she ended up trying to kill us both, betraying his kindness…" he finished. _And mine_, he thought as the memory finally surfaced of the times he had encountered the villainous thief.

"So…what you're saying is we're facing a super weapon?" Raven asked in her droned out tone.

He nodded in response, before leaving them to brood in his room.

**A/N: DUN DUN DUN! Plot twist. Don't worry this is NOT a love triangle; those are WAY to complicated. Thank you for reading!!!**


	4. Masks

**A/N: YAY! After a few days the fourth chapter is finally up! This chapter is longer then my others, but only by a page. I started writing it and realized that I wanted to put Red's past in it, so it had to get bigger. Lol. The incounters in this chapter aren't as intense as the last one either. This one isn't supposed to be really. I do hope this helps to elaborate on why Red seems a little over the top with power. I mean it should. Oh! And I'm trying to work on another Titans story. I gave up on my other because I got to into this one XD So please give you opinions! I would LOVE them all!!!**

After I left Robin to heal himself this time, Wolf and I went back to what we had originally set out to do which was to mess around with Red-X. Scouring the underworld with playful intent, we were able to find my favorite thief. Granted, it had taken almost half the night to find him, but we had! Looking up at the building, the neon sign nearly blinded me while standing in this dark alley. 'The Black Glove'; it had bad guy written all over it. Groaning in annoyance to myself, I walk it with Wolf following right behind me. Looking around I notice that this place is kind of like a hangout for criminal types to kind of unwind and not worry about Titans for once. Walking through I notice the stares that I get from some of the villains. My clothes are still tattered from my fight with Robin a few hours ago; they probably think I'm lost, while I notice that some are looking at me just to look.

I growl lowly to myself and ignore the onlookers as I take a seat at the bar, "Coke," I order as I stare at the shelves of liquor behind the bar.

The bartender looks at me with a hard stare, "The mutt has to go," he says.

Wolf is offended and starts growling like she's about to attack when I interject, "She's not a mutt…" I nod for her to leave and reluctantly she does. After she has left for the outside, the tender goes to get the drink I requested.

"What is a child doing here?" I hear a voice asks beside me.

Slowly I turn my head to face them with a blank stare, "I'm hardly a child," I answer coolly. The group of criminals that had gathered around me laughed at my answer as my coke is set down in front of me.

"You certainly look like a child," another one says as a smirk plays on his lips. I hated other criminals, because they were mostly made of men and most of them thought it was absurd for a female to be such.

"And yet I'm not," I replied with the same cool tone. I was small in stature sure, and yes, under my hood I did look young but I wasn't a child. I saw one reach for my coke glass and my eye twitched in anger. Was he really going to be that stupid? He picked it up and took a long drink from it before setting it back on the wooden bar.

"That was refreshing!" he exclaimed with a cocky smirk. I cracked my knuckles, trying to remain calm but when one touched me and tried to make me leave, I snapped.

Grabbing his wrist, I twisted his arm and with my other hand, slammed his face into the side of the bar, "Anyone else want to try and mess with me?" I snarled venomously. They seemed to get angry and decided to do just that, mess with me.

I was ready to take them on when a familiar figure jumped in front of me, "Whoa!" he said with his hands up defensively, "Let's not get carried away guys. She's with me." Slipping beside me, he snaked an arm around my shoulders to make it look like we were an item and the group backed off.

I pushed his arm off me, sending a glare his way, "What are you doing?"

He took the seat beside in a way that made him seem just so damned cocky, "I could ask you the same thing toots," he countered.

"I was looking for you actually," I reply as I look at the coke that had been tainted by that lowly criminal and flicked the glass. I only turn away from it when I feel Red-X get closer to me and I look over at him.

"Is that so toots?" he asked with the smirk I know he's wearing under that mask and I growl at him to which he just chuckles.

"Listen hear chuckles, don't get any ideas it's not what you think," I say, trying to hide my crush on him which I think is growing into a little more than a crush. Although how that could be I didn't really understand since I didn't know him under the suit.

He gets a little closer, "Then why'd you come to see me?" he asks.

When I look back at him, I'm stunned to see that we're nearly nose to nose with each other which made me stumble over my words for a single moment, "Huh?" Again he laughs and this time I smack him in the face. He looks surprised by my action and I smirk in response, "It's what you get."

He shakes off the initial shock and puts his hands up in defense, "Alright, maybe I did. So what is it you want toots?" he finally asked me.

Turning away from him, I ruffle through my duffle bag, pulling out the red cylinder and turn to him, "This," I said holding it up for him to see.

"Xynothium," he breathes when he sees it.

"Ah, the one I stole from you a few nights ago," I chuckle happily. He tries to snatch it from me, but I quickly move it from his reach, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, no spoiling your gift," I coo, shaking a finger tauntingly.

"Gift?" he asked puzzled. I nod. "What do you mean?" he asks.

With a wicked grin upon my lips I answer, "You want your Xynothium; you have to go on a date with me."

Now he really looks surprised! He doesn't say anything for about a minute, but when that minute is up his masked voice speaks, "A date?" he questions.

"Mhm!" I nod.

"Hmm…" he thinks for a moment, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you had a crush on me."

His amusement was dripping all over his words and I rolled my eyes, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves hm."

"You do!" he cut in with an amused laugh.

"Do not!" I shout in frustration.

"So…" he cooed.

"Not!" I shout again, my eyes lit with a fiery blaze.

"Oh so much," he chuckled and brought a finger under my chin to look at him, "I don't mind though. You are pretty cute." I was about to reply when he stopped me, "Alright."

Now it was my turned to be stunned, "What?" I asked.

"Alright," he repeated, emphasizing the word like I was deaf.

I was so shocked that he agreed that I didn't even bother answering him back; I just nodded. Placing the chemical compound back in my bag, I got up from my seat and motioned to him to follow me, which he did; like a good boy. I knew that the idea to get him to go on a date with me the way I did may seem kind of dumb, but I could tell that he wasn't the average kind of thief and liked a little surprise. The second we got outside, Wolf stood up and snarled at him as if trying to protect me from him. _Calm down_, I told her and she did. Looking back at Red-X, I noticed that he seemed kind of weary with Wolf around, _Don't worry Wolf. He won't bite_, I tell her with a silent giggle. She backs off a bit and he relaxes.

"So when to I get my Xynothium?" he asks me as we begin walking away from the run down bar.

"Patience," I tell him as we walk through the slums of Jump City.

"Then where are we going?" he pries, trying to figure out what I'm up too.

Turning to him I grin, "You'll enjoy it I promise," I say answering his question. "Now hush and follow me," I whisper, gesturing for him to follow me.

Red-X follows after me as I scale a building with ease, reaching the roof in a matter of minutes without fail. This time he seems genuinely impressed by my acrobatics as he comments on such before we are entering the building through the roof access door. We are silent as we move through the shadows and I can feel his eyes on my back. I look over my shoulder at him and because he's wearing a mask I can't tell if he's looking at me or just straight ahead. Because I was distracting myself by looking at him, I didn't see the set of stairs in front of my feet and I only noticed when his arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me back against him. Placing my hands against his chest, I look at him, then the stairs and back at him.

"What your step toots," he purrs against my ear which makes me shiver against him. I feel his silent laugh before glaring and pushing away from him, but in my doing so I trip and fall down the stairs. I hear his tattered cape rustle in the air and soon feel his arms wrap around me again before we hit the bottom. He is beneath me, keeping me safe, his arms wrapped around me tight. He looks down at me, "What'd I just tell ya toots?" he asks me, but his tone isn't annoyed but rather entertained.

"Oh shut up," I snap, pushing away from him and getting to my feet. Extending my hand, I offer it to him and he takes it, using my strength to help pull him to his feet.

Putting what just happened behind me, I dashed off further into the building with Red-X following behind me once again. I tried to run faster than him, thinking out dumb I felt for being so clumsy and getting flustered because of his gesture to help me. When we reach the room I was looking for, the two of us are completely speechless when we see the Titans standing there waiting for us. This time, Robin doesn't even give them a command and charges after us, the others following suit. Red-X and I split up. Red-X took on the green one, the robot and the girl in purple while I took on Robin and the dark witch. The boy wonder seemed especially mad at me tonight as I was on the defensive this time. There was no opening for me to get a clear shot and when I tried, the witch would stop me by throwing an object in my way or throwing some kind of energy projectile.

A crate was thrown at me that I jumped over only to get struck in the chest by the end of Robin's staff. With a soft grunt, I fell back, looking up at the masked hero. Even behind the mask I could tell there was hatred in his glare, "What's got you in a bad mood this time wonder boy?" he didn't say a word and tried to strike me again. Throwing out my left foot, I blocked his staff and while pushing myself upwards I kicked him in the chest before slowly getting back on my feet; one foot before the other. "I do hope you don't carry grudges wonder boy," I laughed lightly with a smirk.

"Don't call me that," he hissed through gritted teeth as he jumped back to his feet and positioned himself at the ready with the witch as his defense. "You tried to kill us after we tried to help you," he added just as deadly. His tone was full of so much hate that it actually frightened me just a bit but not enough to deter me from my mission.

For a second I am unaware about what he's talking about, but then it hits me a second later. The months I spent in Gotham City and had plenty of encounters with the dynamic duo; well mostly Robin because Batman refused to fight a 'child'. Then one night I lost too much control and destroyed an entire block, with a crater beneath my limp body. I remember Batman and Robin at my side before I went completely black and woke up again in his cave of solitude, strapped to a bed. I was stuck there for nearly a week to "recuperate my strained body," as Batman had put it; what he really wanted to know was what my deal was. He found out by using Robin against me. The boy wonder had seemed so nice to me; he made me feel normal. I admit I gave him trouble at first, but when he would even visit with me in the middle of the night and often times fall asleep next to the bed, I opened up rather quickly. Then when I was released from Batman's cave, he tried to help me. Robin had even told me that I was sick and that's why they wanted to help! That's when I tried to kill them both, and came damn close to it too! I fought them with all my heart and if Batman hadn't stabbed me a few times, I would have permanently silenced the bird and Batman with him.

I felt my anger flare as I relived the memory. My eyes began to glow a fiery orange and I could feel the flames lick at my temples from under the mask. The air around me became super heated as I glared angrily at the boy wonder, "I had a right to…" I breathed through my grinding teeth. "You treated me like a common criminal after…." I paused for a moment before lashing out, "You were the ones that betrayed me!" I screamed. I held out my hand and a slim stream of fire slithered through it, forming a whip. I snapped it at the two of them, "You wanna talk about sick Robin? Look at yourself! I gave you my trust because I believed you and you threw it away like it was nothing!" I sliced at his suit.

The sound of a girl crying out caught my attention and noticed Red-X flirting with the green eyed chick. The whip extinguished itself and I tossed a fireball at the witch, knocking her to the ground. I was angry sure, but what fueled me now was jealousy. Throwing my hand back, I threw it forward and as I did, the whip formed again. It wrapped around the girl and I heard her scream in pain at the scorching flame around her bare skin. With the slithering flame still wrapped around her I ran towards her, while the big guy and silly green one came rushing at me. Jumping over them, I slammed the heel of my foot into her face, effectively knocking her out. Thrusting out my arm, a flaming claw stretched forth, grabbing the bulky machine and throwing him into the skinny green changeling. In my hands, a compressed orange ball was forming and slowly getting larger. I was about ready to destroy this entire building with the Titans and us in it until I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Red! You have to calm down, I think you've won for the both of us," Red-X told me through his mask as I looked back at him over my shoulder. I looked at his hand on my shoulder and his suit was burning away in the super heated air and I quickly calmed down. The second I let go I fell against him, completely drained.

"I want to go home now X," I whispered quietly as my body lay limp in his arms. Unable to keep my head up, I let it fall against his chest and soon fell asleep in his arms.

When I finally woke back up, I was in my little warehouse of a home and I could hear growling beside me; angry growling, "Hey! Calm down pooch, I didn't do anything to her!" I heard a male voice cry out. There was more growling, lower this time.

"Wolf, calm down…" I said hoarsely as I slowly sat up in my bed to find out what exactly was going on and what I saw shocked me more than anything I had ever seen in my weird life. "Red-X?" I asked looking at the now maskless man trying to get away from the giant wolf.

"Oh Red, you're awake! Call this thing off!" he shouted in a panic as I slowly got out of the bed.

I was still in shock but his words registered (somehow) in my brain, "Wolf, back off," I commanded, and she did. Walking up to him, I lightly touched his bare face while I was still a mystery to him.

"What?" he asked looking at me like I was a freak for my display. Then his cool attitude snapped back, "Like what ya see toots?"

His hair was just like Robin's, black and messy to where it looked like it was intentionally spiky, his eyes were the deepest and most intense blue color I had ever seen in my life, while his skin was a fair color with a slight kiss from the sun. "Shut up," I whispered before locking lips with him. I had no idea what had come over me; it was like I was hypnotized somehow! When I finally realized what I had and was still doing, his arms had wrapped around my small waist and were keeping me against him.

He was the first to pull back for air and the smirk was ever present on his face, "I knew you had a thing for me," he said triumphantly. Glaring at him through the shadow of my hood, I smacked him and began storming away from him when his hand wrapped around my wrist, "Hey, wait a second toots," he turned me around to face him, and I ended up stumbling over my own feet which caused my hood to fall from my head, "You can't honestly just kiss me and run can you?" he asked.

I thought about it for a second, "Yeah, I really could," I answered. His eyes told me that he was a little disappointed in my answer. Then came a slightly serious question from me, "Why do you trust me enough to have taken off your mask?"

"Uh…" he wasn't expecting that question I'm sure, but it was relevant enough to right now. I watched his eyes as they left me and looked down at the floor, hard, as if trying to think of an answer. His brow furrowed slightly as he continued to think and after a while he looked back at me, "I'm not quite sure, but there's something about you that gives me the idea that you won't turn your back on someone," he stumbled over his words. I don't think that was exactly what he meant to say, but I understood it well enough.

I sighed silently to myself as I rolled my eyes behind my mask. I felt like a therapist or something; a person you can confide in. How ridiculous. Looking at him, his stare looked slightly hopeful about something and as I tried to figure out what it hit me, in the middle of my thinking. He wanted to see the rest of me! My gaze shifted around before obliging. There was no one else around but the three of us so I suppose it was alright…this once. My fingers wrapped around a point on my silver lined mask and I slowly tore it from my face. When it first left my face, my eyes were closed but as I set it down on my bed my eyes opened to reveal cat like red eyes. He gasped. My white hair contrasted the deep set of ruby red that were held in my irises and Red-X noted that. I had a slight tan tint to my skin that only illuminated my already intense red eyes and made my snowy white hair seem even brighter. My stare was locked on him as he stared back and finally I broke it by looking away and sighing heavily.

"I know, I look like a freak," I spoke up from the silence, gripping my left elbow softly. I had always hated the way I looked.

"Whoa whoa whoa, where would you get that idea?" he asked me, coming up right behind me and placing his hands on my shoulders before spinning me around to face him. I didn't look up at him until a finger came under my chin to tilt my head back, "You look crazy sure, but damn good looking too! Can I ask how you got like that?"

I walked out of his grasp and fell back onto my bed, staring at the floor and my sneaker covered feet, "A long time ago…" I stated softly.

I felt him sit beside me, "I'm all ears toots," he replied.

Slowly I looked over at him, staring. With another heavy sigh, I picked myself up and turned to him, "Okay, well I was born in San Francisco California to parents that worked for S.T.A.R. Labs. The San Francisco location specialized in the studying of meta-humans, which I am. I was born with the power of biological manipulation…kind of like a psychic doctor. Well my mom was a biologist and my father was a geneticist and when they found out about what I could do they began to study me at the S.T.A.R. Labs that they worked at. They did lots of painful tests and made me practice on animals a lot before we moved to Los Angeles to do genetics testing on me. At the S.T.A.R. Labs there, they 'fixed' my DNA so I could do other things. And when they would make me practice what they had done to me, they would work me until I was over exhausted, bloody, bruised and raw. My own parents. They no longer saw me as their daughter, but a means to an end. I never slept on a bed or had anything like the stuff I have now. I was kept in a test tube, hooked up to machines most of the time while they monitored me like some dumb lab rat! The last straw was sometime after they had used a psychic on my mind and somehow that power melded with my DNA. I lost it and destroyed part of the lab, also killing my parents and most of the people that were there. After that, I became a criminal because I had no choice…" I explained, the first time in my life telling any part of my history to anyone.

I wasn't expecting the responses I received when I looked back up at him. He looked so sorry for me, and not that pity filled crap either; genuinely sorry. The next thing I knew he was holding me close and tipping my head back to kiss my lips again. This was the first time I had actually kissed someone and I don't mean like the kiss I gave Robin a few days ago, I mean one of those meaningful kisses that are shared between lovers. It was my first time completely. I was only sixteen and Red-X was my first in a lot of areas of my life in some weird way. Even in telling me his real name (Jason Todd) and if I could, I would have told him my real name but I don't remember it after so many years of not being called by it. His cape disappeared and I was gently forced back. I didn't mind that he was my first at anything…

**A/N: Oooooo! I went with the fandom on who Red-X was, because it would work with the possibility of a 'hero gone bad' theroy also.**


	5. Captive

**A/N: Oh yeah! Finally the fifth chapter is up and we're getting closer to the end of the story. I know, saddness right? I'm sorry this chapter took so long to publish, but I got distracted by my story Next and some character creations. But anyhow, please enjoy!!!!**

When I woke up the next afternoon, for once I didn't do it with a start. I wasn't covered in sweat, breathing heavily or scared for my life! As I sat up on my mattress, I realized I hadn't even had nightmares either, like I have had everyday of my life since I was practically born. Holding my blanket to my chest, I looked over to my side and saw Red-X still beside me asleep. Honestly, it surprised me that he was still here. To me he seemed like the kind of guy that would leave in the middle of the night without even a note. While he slept, I stared at his peaceful features. Because he was here with me I hadn't lost control in the middle of the night because of nightmares; he had kept me in check the entire night. It amazed me! Swinging myself over the side of the bed, I secured my blanket around my body and got up. Throwing my arms up in the air, I stretched out my back and walked over to my fridge for some much needed yogurt.

My fingers broke through the undisturbed cold air to reach for the plastic cup and closed the door once it was in my grasp. I pulled out a spoon and jumped onto a small island table I had near my fridge, eating the dairy product. I was so engrossed in my culinary intake that I didn't notice when Red-X stirred in his sleep and got up. Only when I felt him come up behind me and kiss the back of my neck did I know he had woken up.

"Morning toots," he greeted groggily with a sleepy smirk gracing his lips. I felt his hands rest upon my shoulders and I titled my head back to look at him behind me, my spoon in my mouth to prevent me from speaking back. He laughed at me, "Smooth."

I pulled the spoon from my mouth with a slight glare coming to my face, "Shut up X," I muttered in a pout.

"You can call me Jason ya know," he corrected as he moved around the island to face me properly.

I took another spoonful of yogurt, "Nah, I prefer X. Suits you better," I replied with a slight shake of my head.

Tipping my yogurt cup towards himself, he stuck his finger in it and swiped up some yogurt for himself, "Hm, so what's on for today?" he asks.

"Nothing that involves you," I answered without skipping a beat. My ruby red eyes look up at him just in time to catch his slightly surprised look, "What? Did you think that just because of last night I'd take you everywhere with me?" I asked with my own smirk at him.

"No," he answers so coolly that I believe him instantly and don't bother questioning him.

Sliding off the counter of the island, I throw off the blanket and put my clothes back on, including my mask. With my hood once again obscuring my features, I smirk to him. Grabbing my duffle bag, I motion for Wolf to follow me and we are out the door before he can say anything else. I am not afraid of leaving him by himself for there is nothing of value at the warehouse. Everything that could be considered valuable to me is always with me, or at least well hidden. As the two of us are walking away from the warehouse, I start thinking about last night and Red-X in general. He was fun to play with, smart, but also severely over confident to the point of being annoying. He was extremely good looking, with definition everywhere! And yes, I do mean everywhere. But beyond all that he was able to keep me calm where no one else ever could; not since that one week with Robin. He knew who he was and it was exciting! When we clashed, sparks would fly and that simply exhilarated me.

The two of us simply wandered around all afternoon until the night had finally settled upon Jump and the criminals had come out to play. Wolf and I casually strode up to another of Wayne Enterprises buildings, walking straight through the front door without missing a beat. It was only when we saw the guards that we finally moved to the shadows. This was another holder of some Xynothium that I knew Red-X would be after to power up his suit. Yeah, I found out last night. I was going to get to it first! But this time I wasn't taking any chances to be caught by the Teen Titans. The first wave of guards was taken out by silent and swift strikes to the back of the neck that would knock them out. We moved to the next floor and encountered three of them. They saw us first! Luckily though, I was faster than they were and knocked them out in a similar fashion to the first floor guards.

It took the two of us all of about half an hour to knock out all the guards before we reached the final floor that held the Xynothium stash we were here for. When we got there, Red-X was already waiting for us and I could see that smirk plastered to his face.

"Aw, looks like I beat you to it," he said waving the cylinder in front of my face tauntingly.

I crossed my arms defiantly, "Doubtful."

In a flash I was on the same railing he was balancing on and swiped my leg at him. He dodged it effortlessly and landed in a crouching position on the railing a few feet away from me. The next blow came from him, I put my arm up to block it, and turning his back on me I blocked his other blow. Pushing my strength against him, I shot my heel to the back of his head, landing back on the railing with expert balance while he was sent plummeting to the floor below us. Jumping off the railing, I launched myself to the cylinder. If you hadn't noticed, I try not to rely on my abilities too much. While I was occupied with trying to catch the red tube before it hit the ground I didn't see the red x slamming into my face and sending me flying back into a wall. Shaking off the impact, I looked up to see him towering over me and holding the red compound in front of me to tease me. Before I could try and catch him, he's disappeared and left me alone in the building. Screaming in frustration, I jam my fist into the nearest wall (punching a hole through it) and decide to go straight to the source.

My fight with the villain known as Professor Chang was short lived. He wasn't even worth a knockout punch quite frankly; pathetic. He was such a wimp that I had to knock him out just to stop listening to him try and bargain his way out of me stealing from him. Chang has such an annoying voice that I was glad to be leaving his base of operations and back to my little hole in the wall. In my bag I held a mother load of Xynothium; enough to sell on the black market and make a lot of money. A grin crossed my features at the thought of the haul I would acquire from selling this merchandise; it made me very happy. I wasn't just happy that all this Xynothium would leave me well off, but I had a far bigger haul then Red-X could ever hope to have. I could power his suit for years with what I had. Oh how I would tease him with this for days before it was officially sold.

The two of us bumbled into our small place with me throwing the bag at one end of the couch and me falling onto the other end with a loud huff. Behind the mask, my red eyes shifted to the ceiling and watched it like there was something interesting on it, but there wasn't. It wasn't long before my eyes grew heavy and I could no longer keep them open. My eyes were closed for maybe an hour before I heard my front door bang open and Wolf springing to her feet with a deadly growl. In an instant my eyes flashed open behind the mask and I sat up on my couch, seeing the Teen Titans crowding my doorway. They attacked when Robin screamed his famous phrase, I grabbed my duffle bag and I quickly dodged by flipping over the back of my couch and jumping onto a railing towards my ceiling, staring down at them. While I glared them down I wondered how they could have found us! The only other person that knew where I lived with Red-X…No, he couldn't have. He wouldn't have! Did he sell me out to the Titans? I had to find out.

I jumped from my perch and was instantly attacked by the dark sorceress. Under her psychic grasp, my body was outlined in a fiery color before her power exploded apart with my expending of pyrokinetic energy. She and I were blown back from the shock of the power, but I recovered quickly and made my way for the door. The back of my hood was grabbed and as I was thrown away from the door, it fell from my head. My choppy, short white hair whipped around my neck as I threw my head up and growled at the one who had grabbed me. Of course, Robin. He towered over me rather menacingly, a glare plastered on his face; it seemed that every time he was around me he was glaring. As I got up I slung my bag over my shoulder and tried to force my way through the Boy Wonder, but his hand shot out at me. I felt his palm over my face as he forced me back against a wall with a low growl of his own; behind him, his team.

"You're going to jail," he hissed as his mask contorted into a harder glare at me.

I pushed his hand off my face, "Oh please Wonder Boy, don't make me laugh. You wouldn't really put me in jail, of all people," I tried to reason coolly.

He didn't buy it. After his hand had been pushed away, he was so bold as to tear my mask off my face, "You're not above the law Red."

His removal of my mask angered me. My eyes darted to my partner who was currently being subdued by the green boy before returning to the masked hero. "How many times have I told you….Don't. Touch. My. Mask." I hissed through gritted teeth before my own hand shot out to snatch my mask back and place the tips of my five fingers against his forehead.

No one understood what I was about to do to the poor hero until I began. My eyes lit up with red energy as I threw an astral drop of myself into Robin's head. I refused to go to prison until I knew how had sold me out to these do-gooders. My astral drop went straight for the fear center of his brain and began to mess with it, making the fearless leader see all his fears to a severe degree. Next was the pain center and to hit his most painful memories. I would have scrambled his brain the most painful way possible if I hadn't tired out so quickly. My concentration broke as I dropped to my knees, out of breath and nearly on empty from the use of the telepathic ability that I still wasn't very good at. I could finally hear Robin's screams from what I had done and while they took care of him and his slightly corrupted mind, I took this chance to escape. Placing my mask back on my face, Wolf and I left quickly while they were distracted.

The two of us scoured the streets for most of the night before I decided to go back to The Black Glove to beat information out of someone there. Someone has to know where the damned thief was! Even with my rampage on the villainous bar, no one knew anything and it turned out to be a complete waste of my time. So I went with a different approach.

* * *

I was leaning against a car parked in the street when the five heroes once again approached me, this time with much more caution. I guess that temporary brain fry I gave Robin really got them to understand I was _extremely_ dangerous, "What took you losers so long?" I asked as I pushed off the car and faced them. I was still very tired from the feat I had done to him, but I refused to show it and with my former 'training' I could go on long after anyone else would have tired out.

"You're turning yourself in?" the machine inquired, scratching his head. I guess he just didn't understand me.

I walked up to Robin and gently grabbed his gloved hand and out of the corner of my eye saw the red head give me a slight glare. I took him away from his friends, who seemed uneasy and tried to follow, but he motioned for them to back off. We were old friends anyways and I think that somewhere in me he saw that I was still his week old friend. I thought that was dumb, but at the moment I wouldn't pull anything on him because I just wanted to talk. For now. We were still on opposite sides of the law and afterwards we would go back to the pursuit and evade. And if you're wondering, I could have tracked Red-X through his mind but I was too drained from what I had attacked Robin with that I just didn't have the power. So I pushed Wonder Boy against the car I had been leaning against and cut right to the chase, getting up close to him just to make the red head jealous.

"Wonder Boy, I need your help," I whispered to him, just encase his friends were trying to overhear.

He raised a brow and looked at me curiously, (yes I could tell through his mask), "Why?" he asked.

I sighed slightly, "Listen, Robin…you know me pretty well," I paused as I thought about that, "Actually you probably know me better than anyone, except for maybe bat for brains and I need your help," I couldn't believe I was actually trying to compromise with a hero! I kind of felt like I was lowering myself by doing this, but I ha no choice at this point.

"How do you want my help and why on earth would you want it?" he asked me slightly confused that I would be asking for his help.

"I'm turning myself in but in my absence you aren't allowed to hurt Wolf or get rid or look at what's inside my duffle bag," I compromised with my arms crossing under my chest. "Oh and my identity is not allowed to be put in any kind of criminal files," I added while throwing my hands out in front of me to have handcuffs be put on my wrists.

There was a pause from Robin for a moment before I heard a sigh from him, "Alright," he agreed while 'slapping the cuffs' on me.

I looked over at the rest of the Titans who seemed kind of stunned that I was handing myself over after the past few weeks of my residence in their city. It wasn't but two minutes later that the police pulled up and were escorting me into the back of a police van. With a police man in the back with me, the other two sat in the front and we all drove off. Out the window on the door, I looked through it and watched Robin's form get smaller as we got farther away. They had better relish in this minor victory, because it wouldn't last long. Under the shadow of my hood, I grinned knowing that I would get what I wanted.


	6. Deceit

**A/N: So the 6th chapter is finally up! Enjoy.**

It was a long and uneventful ride to the holding cell in which I was being placed until I was processed through the system, again. Like all my other pictures, I had my hood on and anyone of those dumb cops that tried to remove it, I removed their hand. Another file was placed upon me with the crimes I had committed while I hung around Jump City. It wasn't as big as some of my other files that had a few deaths in them, but it was big enough to keep a lot of deputies busy for the entire night. I sat in the corner of the holding cell, the only part of it that wasn't lit up by the florescent lights that hung above all of us in the cell. With a deep breath, I arranged my DNA enough to allow me to effectively pass through walls. You would think that with my biological manipulation I'd be able to cure my own DNA of the tests that had been done to me, but unfortunately I couldn't, things just don't work that way.

I sat lazily on one of the cold, metal benches that lined the sides of the holding cells, with my head lulled back against the bars. I could hear commotion around me but ignored it the best I could. Complaining criminals were so very annoying. When there wasn't a single guard around the holding cell, I turned to the bar I was leaning against and ignited a flame at the tip of my finger. I refused to go to a meta-human prison again, plus I had something I had to do. With the makeshift blow torch at my disposal, I cut out a piece of the bar and slipped through the cell bars quite easily. I was a meta-human, but before I could be put in a prison that was made for people like me, I had to be processed just like any other criminal. In the dark I snuck around the station before I came to the very middle and showed myself.

"Well boys and girls, shall we have a little fun?" I smirked as I stood with my arms crossed, surrounded by hundreds of police.

I gave them a minute and as expected, they all drew their guns on me, "Freeze!" one of them shouted.

I acted scared for all of a minute before laughing at them, "Oh please!"

"We told you to freeze Red," I heard one stated firmly in my direction.

"I heard you officer," I replied as I slowly raised my hands into the air, "But you see, I have this hearing problem…." I trailed off as my hands began to heat up and turn black. With a giggle, I shot a ball of fire across the precinct, which exploded on impact.

There was no more talking after that. As everyone scrambled around me, I caused destruction! I was throwing fireballs and shooting flamethrowers everywhere. I exploded holes in the brick building, started fires at every corner and even set people on fire. I was causing quite the commotion and carnage, but making sure not to harm anything that would give me my ultimate goal. I hopped from place to place to avoid coming in contact with someone or something, and sat my happy ass down in a wooden swivel chair. Pushing my feet on the ground, I brought the swivel chair to a desk that wasn't destroyed and began stroking the keys of the keyboard. Through the shadow, I smiled to myself as the screen lit up and revealed my silver mask under my hood. The sound of my typing couldn't be heard over the screams of crackling fires and echoing of pounding footsteps from panicking people. Oh, I was beyond good. Knowing that the Titans would be here soon, I sped up my search and when I finally found what I was looking for, I was gone.

My first stop on my breakout trip was to rescue my wolfish partner from her lock-up. It was a pound for various animal partners to criminals. I felt for her. When I found her wrestling with the staff, I broke her out with ease. The two of us made out way to the island in the middle of the city, the towering 'T' our only destination for the moment. With the Titans busy with the two breakouts and the raging explosive that I made out of the police station, they wouldn't be home to guard their precious tower. I knew they probably had defense systems installed; obviously. They didn't worry me too much. The system was a machine; it would be easy to take out if it caused problems. We broke straight through the front door and of course were instantly greeted by an alarm and the system coming online. I created a telekinetic shield around the two of us as we made our way to the vault for my stuff. I was focused on my mission that the Titans couldn't stop me, or their pathetic defense system.

My feet skid to a stop in front of the vault door and I cracked a smile, "Easy."

I kicked down the door and went looking for my duffle bag. The weapons that surrounded us were of no interest to me; no matter how useful they might have been. I wasn't here for toys. My hand loops around the strap of my duffle bag when that damned bird-a-rang embedded itself into the wall in front of my face. I heard rapid beeping before it blew up right next to me, knocking the two of us off our feet and throwing us through the wall. I groaned as I got up, holding my head. I could faintly hear Robin's voice in my head, but the sound of the blast had knocked out my hearing so it just sounded like gibberish to me. When I brought my head up I found myself nose to nose with the hero, which I gotta say surprised the hell out of me! He was saying something to me that I just couldn't hear. Instead of trying to make out what he was saying, I threw the heel of my foot into the side of his head. Effectively, it knocked him unconscious and Wolf and I fled.

The two of us laid low for the remainder of the night, not even bothering to sell what I had in my bag. It was unfortunate, but we knew the Titans would be out looking for us and we had to avoid them.

* * *

When day light finally rolled around, I dared to come out of my hiding spot. The sun hung high in the sky, blinding the world below it with its rays. Looking around, I tried to find a sign of a do-gooder somewhere, but there was nothing. Mentally telling Wolf to follow me in the shadows, I walked in the street without being recognized while armed with the information I had stolen from the police database. I wasn't dressed in my normal attire for this portion of the day; instead just in a simple pair for form fitting, hip hugging jeans and a nice white tank top. I stole a brunette wig and some sunglasses to hide the rest of me. Right now, I passed as any normal teenager, but if one were to remove the shades they would find my red eyes under them. My duffle bag was still slung over my shoulder with all my stuff in it, but no one knew that, or what was inside of it; for all they knew I was heading to practice or a friend's house for a sleepover.

As I wandered around, paying attention to street signs, I grumbled to myself, hating that this was taking so long. Just as I was about to blow up the entire block I was standing on, I found what I was looking for. Jason Todd. Police files could be very helpful to those that knew where to look, and I just happened to be one of those people that knew where to look. Granted, there was more than one Jason Todd in town, but not enough to make it hard to narrow down the one I wanted. I ran up the apartment building steps two at a time and when I landed on the floor I wanted, I found his door. I placed my ear against the wood to identify if anyone was home; oh goodie they were! I silently made my way through the door, leaning against the threshold casually.

"Well look at what I found," I greeted as I saw the boy round the corner with nothing but a towel on and dripping wet. I didn't falter.

"Who are you?" he questioned when he spotted me, obviously not knowing it was me through the disguise.

I removed the sunglasses and looked at him with a smirk, "I got a few questions for you X."

"Red?" he said quizzically as he stared at my red eyes. I watched as his green eyes looked over my undercover look and the hint of lust I saw as he finally looked back into my eyes, "I like you as a brunette," he charmed.

"Can it X. I didn't come for a social call," I sneered as I pushed off his door and closed it behind me so we wouldn't be interrupted.

"Are you sure? Because I'm sure you'd enjoy a social call after what happened last night," he tried to change the subject, but I wasn't about to get side tracked.

I came up close to him, "How would you know about last night?" I asked.

He shrugged nonchalantly, "I heard it from the underground." I watched as he stepped past me and walked back towards his room; to get dressed no doubt. He seemed so cool, even for him.

"Do you know anything about what happened last night?" I asked, getting right down to things, "About why the Titans attacked me at my own home?"

He turned to me, looking, shocked, "They attacked you while at home? No, I don't know a thing."

I came up to his bedroom door, "Because if you do know anything X, I swear there will be no place you can hide from my wrath." After I said that, I bolted out his fire escape window.

* * *

Harsh sounds, cold winds and even colder rain blanketed the city of Jump. Lightning split the sky and thunder slammed against the clouds; children hid under their blankets out of fear. The monstrous storm raged in the spring weather. A dead air rolled through the storm with a feeling that only came with the death of someone truly important. Was that the case? Not quite.

My red sneakers splashed in the various puddles that littered the ground at my feet. Through my stockings I could feel the freezing water droplets relentlessly hit my calves. My breath came out in white puffs of hot air that dispersed around me as the cold stung my face. I could feel my heart slamming against my chest as I ran faster, sliding around a street corner. My body slammed into the concrete beneath me…

"Stop right there Red!" the small version of the caped crusader yelled at me. As I scrambled to my feet, I looked over my shoulder at the traffic light dressed hero and smirked. Did he really think I would listen?

I jumped to my feet and rounded the corner with my shadow tailing me from above. My clothes were heavy and hugged my tiny frame so tightly that some might think I couldn't breathe. Long pants came from my throat as my chest tightened with every double step I took further away from the band of heroes. All five of them chased after my red trail, following closed behind but not enough to physically catch me. I was faster. I threw my pace into overdrive and jumped out of sight. I watched from above as they all passed my hiding spot and when they were gone I fell back to the ground. The two of us left them in the distance as we made our way to the edge of the city.

"Hey there toots," the voice stopped me cold.

"X, where are you?!" my own voice shouted angrily as my eyes darted through the darkness that surrounded me.

"…" there was a long pause before he spoke again, "I'm sorry to have to do this to ya toots, I really did like you, but it's just not fair to have two people working the same business."

"You no good lying…" I hissed before the lights around me sprang to life and my eyes widened.

"Name calling isn't nice," his voice echoed from wherever he was, "I told the Titans that I would bring you in…for a price. They didn't go for it at first, but I convinced them that I was the only one able to find you. Goodbye."

I heard the faint beep of a button being pressed before a string sound of beeps erupted around me. Wolf and I looked around us for a way out, but there didn't seem to be one. They were packed tight. Our prison all at once blew around us.


End file.
